A last minute Christmas gift you can make. Ninety-second post and counting!

So here's the scenario:

Some fool of a friend (I'll say PJ to keep it simple) calls and says she's coming over. It's close to Christmas and you know she's bringing you a really nice gift (she'd better!) but you have nothing for her (a mere oversight, I'm sure).

What to do, what to do, what to do?

In less than five minutes you can make PJ a lovely gift - a cup of cake!

First, you dig in your cupboard for a seldom-used-but-still-lovely cup and saucer. PJ gets to keep it so you don't want it to be part of Grandma's china. Then you spray the cup with cooking spray because you're too lazy to smear butter in it.

In a separate little bowl, you mix the following ingredients:

2 Tbsp flour (I used cake flour)
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cocoa powder
A pinch of salt
2 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp oil

Pour the mixed ingredients into the lovely cup. It doesn't make much but don't be fooled into adding more. The cake needs room to cook up and then fall back into cup.


Microwave on full power for 60 seconds. Depending on the power of your microwave and your altitude, you may need to adjust the cooking time. If so, only cook in additional 15 second intervals. If you overcook the cake, you might need a chisel to chip it out of the cup!

When finished, the cake should be nice and fluffy. Residue from its rising will remain on the upper cup. Just wipe that away with a wet paper towel.


Frost with store-bought frosting. It's a microwaved cake, for heavens sake. Don't go to too much trouble!

But add a bow. After all, it's for PJ and she's an artist.

Thanks to rlege for this recipe!